DIGEST

Maywood : Police Retirement Law OKd

The City Council has approved an ordinance to impose a mandatory retirement age for police officers in active field duty.

Police Chief Ted Heidke said the city had a similar ordinance but it was invalidated after a court ruled that municipalities could not mandate a retirement age for employees. After a federal appeals court reversed the ruling, he said, the city "decided to put the ordinance back on the books."

Heidke said the new ordinance affects only field officers, and those in administrative positions will not be forced to retire. Heidke, 57, said only he and a lieutenant in the 23-member department are nearing 60.